As is known, the above-mentioned articles are obtained by superposing a sheet of permeable material (non-woven fabric) on a sheet of impermeable material, and interposing an absorbent pad between them.
Generally, in addition to the above-mentioned basic components, the absorbent articles comprise various other components which make their structure, as well as their production, more or less complex. In particular, in the case of nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults accessory components are normally used, for example, elastic bands, faecal barriers and lateral wings for fastening the nappies or incontinence pads around the waist of the users.
Prior art machines for making such products therefore comprise many feed means for the materials used to make the above-mentioned basic and accessory components.
More precisely, the sheets of impermeable and permeable materials and the various accessory components are made from continuous webs unwound from respective reels and separated into pieces, at operating stations or units, by suitable cutting devices. The various pieces are then joined to each other at stations in which gluing or sealing devices operate.
The devices for transversal cutting of the webs used in machines of the type considered comprise a blade able to move with a back-and-forth motion and an anvil, or a pair of rollers rotating in opposite directions, substantially at a tangent to each other and respectively equipped with a blade and a counter-blade.
In addition to the transversal cutting devices, there may be further cutting devices for shaping the articles to give them an anatomical shape. In particular, in the case of nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults, they make two lateral leg openings at the central portion of the nappies for babies or incontinence pads for adults.
As is known, such cutting devices, all of the mechanical type, as well as having considerable dimensions, have the disadvantage of requiring frequent sharpening and regular substitution of the blades.
Moreover, due to the stresses which the reciprocal mechanical action of the blade and the counter-blade apply on the frame of the cutting device, the frame must be suitably sized. For that reasons, the frame is usually made of steel, with consequent negative repercussions in terms of weight, maneuverability during installation and transportation, and cost.
In addition to that, the large number of mechanical cutting units of the above-mentioned type significantly increases the noise emitted by the machine.
Similar considerations apply for the various sealing devices located along the production line. In fact, again, the presence of huge steel frames is a disadvantage in terms of dimensions, weight, maneuverability and cost.